tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89326804470641367302018-03-05T13:01:11.290-05:00Thoughts of an Anti-LibrarianBruce G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05461937786699065665noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932680447064136730.post-54369988338741875912012-07-17T20:35:00.001-04:002012-07-17T20:38:18.136-04:00The Shelves are Categorized.<br /><br />Today was a very productive day, working in the library. I was given lot of help by my wife and son, who were kind enough to come in and give me a few hours of their time. When we were done working, all of the books were properly back on the shelves in their new category sections.<br /> <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4tKku18VCV4/UAYA-jRc7HI/AAAAAAAAE_4/eJWBjDzxCAA/s1600/WP_000935.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4tKku18VCV4/UAYA-jRc7HI/AAAAAAAAE_4/eJWBjDzxCAA/s400/WP_000935.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The Shelves used to be in a U shape around the room</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /> <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-94Fj3nzgLbA/UAYBAL9MdfI/AAAAAAAAFAA/vRnM3WXA9bk/s1600/WP_000936.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-94Fj3nzgLbA/UAYBAL9MdfI/AAAAAAAAFAA/vRnM3WXA9bk/s400/WP_000936.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">So, not only is the system new, but the room arraignment has changed.&nbsp;</span>&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>My Shelving sections for the <i>Facili System</i> are as follows:<br /><br /><br />Favorite Choices (containing the Unexplained, and Graphic Novels)<br /><br />Sports and Activities (including Drawing, Arts and Crafts and Magic)<br /><br />Jobs, Transportation and Inventions<br /><br />The Arts (and writers)<br /><br />Poetry<br /><br />Tales (Tall, Fairy, Myths)<br /><br />People and Places<br /><br />U.S. History<br /><br />World History<br /><br />Holidays and Cooking &amp; Food<br /><br />Science and Math<br /><br />Human Body<br /><br />Nature<br /><br />Plants and Farming<br /><br />Space<br /><br />Animals<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Now that the books are on the shelves, I have to put shelf labels on them, and organize the categories. As that work will start in the next few days, I am continuing to change all the call numbers in the Card Catalog.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Bruce G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05461937786699065665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932680447064136730.post-38921695570618137542012-07-16T18:34:00.000-04:002012-07-16T18:34:57.630-04:00Good Bye Dewey, I have A Name for The New System<br /><br />I spent three hours or so today working in the library. I know a Teacher/Librarian working in a library doesn't sound that exciting, but It was actually a big thing, for me. I started the process of shelving the books in the new categorization system that I am using instead of Dewey. <br /><br /><br />For those new to the blog, I have decided to do away with the Dewey Decimal System in my K-5 Elementary School Library. You can read the other posts for my reasons why. After many hours of changing call numbers, I finally got to move the books to their new shelves today.Although it started out slowly, I am very excited about the way the system is going to work. As you walk into the Library, the room flows from category to category now. From the front of the Library back it actually follows a logical order as the subjects move from one to another. <br /><br />As I was working today, I started thinking about the new system. The wonderful Librarians at The Ethical Culture Fieldston School, who ditched the Dewey Decimal system at their school (and have been very helpful in answering my questions as I got started) named their system Metis. On their website they say, "We have named the system in honor of the crafty Titan who is the mother of Athena and the eternal source of good advice for Zeus." That is a pretty neat idea. So, I thought I should come up with a name for my system also, since it doesn't quite follow the Metis model or the BISAC Standards. <br /><br /><br />Now I am not a very vain person, So I couldn't go Dewey-like and name it after myself, and I am not sure my library will ever be a place of the Gods, so I couldn't go with a Mythological name, besides my favorite Greek God since my college days when I first learned of him is Dionysus (the God of Wine and Fertility) and I don't think that is an appropriate name for an elementary library system name. <br /><br /><br />So, I thought about other options. I am a big Disney fan and am inspired by innovators, like the Disney Imagineers. Lately, I have been reading and listen to some very talented people who have done research on innovation and creativity and I wanted the system to reflect that idea, that it is new and different in the sense that it is innovative for a school Library to Ditch Dewey. The more I thought and looked into words that portrayed this idea, The further I got form why I was doing this. Why I was scrapping Dewey. I am doing it to make it easier on my students and staff and also on myself. It isn't for innovation for innovations sake, it's for ease of use and hopefully a more enjoyable Library experience. So, I have decided on a name, I think best describes the new system; as it means what it is and what using it should be. I have named my new Library System the Facili System (pronounced Fah-Chili).<br /><br /><br />Please continue to follow along as write about how my work in the Facili System proceeds. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />For More information on Metis, check out their website <a href="http://metisinnovations.com/">here.</a><br />For those of you who have not googled Facili yet, It is the Latin word for Easy.Bruce G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05461937786699065665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932680447064136730.post-15413738388012144372012-06-12T21:57:00.000-04:002012-06-12T21:57:34.181-04:00The Work has started...<span style="font-size: large;">I had been working earlier this week to group my non-fiction books into the categories that I am thinking about using for the new sections in my library. As I have moved along this week, I encountered a &nbsp;dilemma when I was working towards Ditching Dewey. I had a moment (okay, actually a day or so) where I found that I worried about whether I should actually do away with my Dewey Decimal System.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">My reasons for changing my library include the students ease of use and to have the students check out and be able to find more materials. But as I was working through the 500 section of my shelves, I was having my doubts. They first started when I was working with the animals. I have decided to divide my animal books into two sections, Land and Water. As I was going through the many, many animal books, I was wondering if this was really necessary. I mean except for pets, all the animals are organized right there in the 500s. SO, why am I re-doing all of my sections? I finished dividing the animals and logging them into the computer (so I can change their call numbers) and pondered this thought for the next day and a half.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Luckily, Friday night, I was at a retirement dinner and had the chance to discuss my worries with my friend&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: large;">and school's&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: large;">Reading Specialist&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: large;">who not only is a great supporter of my library program, but also has a very good understanding of children's literature and what they like to read. She reminded me why I was Ditching Dewey, and the quick two minute discussion we had reaffirmed my commitment to the new system.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">So, today I started back to my reorganization. I worked through the rest of the 500s and all the way through the lower numbers. I ended up adding a section to the shelving system; Jobs. I did come across a group of books that I don't know what to do with, I will research different categories and see where they might go, but for now they are in a pile on one of my shelves (luckily school is now closed for the summer and I have a few months to do all this work). I did come across a problem as I was working today. one of my sections is going to be "Tales". This section will include, Fairy, Tall and Folk&nbsp;</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UGvfn33Jefg/T9fyZH3VuoI/AAAAAAAAE-M/qr6XEueOpIA/s1600/WP_000902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UGvfn33Jefg/T9fyZH3VuoI/AAAAAAAAE-M/qr6XEueOpIA/s320/WP_000902.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">Tales as well as Legends, Myths and Fables. My problem was that as I separated the books into these sub categories, &nbsp;I found that I had so many Folk Tale books that I thought I should weed them. As I started looking to weed them, I couldn't decide which ones to get rid of. Many of them are newer and others that relate to our curriculum, that I didn't know what to do. My decision was to go on to another section and come back to this weeding thought later. My final decision on them was to just have a larger "Tales" section than I was planning and to keep most of the books.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">At the end of the day, I had completed categorizing most of the non-fiction books that I have and I am getting ready to go after the Biographies, which I am going to shelve along side the non-fiction books in the new sections.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Of course now that <i>Summer Vacation</i> has started, I will not be working everyday. My next day in the Library will be after the 4th of July, but I will be working on changing my call numbers for the card catalog and checkout system, as I can do that from home.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Please keep following along as I chronicle&nbsp;my work away from Dewey.&nbsp;</span><br />Bruce G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05461937786699065665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932680447064136730.post-88978988415363852262012-06-04T21:56:00.000-04:002012-06-04T21:56:34.292-04:00Moving Away From DeweyAs I move away from Dewey, the first thought I encountered was how do I&nbsp;separate&nbsp;my sections? Many people have argued, Dewey has its problems, but if you go away from it, isn't your new system going to have problems also? And if so, then why bother? I'm sure my new categorizing will have its share of complications, for example when I first started thinking about my sections I wondered where books about Pirates or&nbsp;Medieval&nbsp;times would go. (I have since decided that both of these will go into my World History section.)<br /><br />For my new system, I have decided to use a modified version of the BISAC (Book Industry Standards and Communications)&nbsp;Headings, which according to the Book Industry Study Group website is used by "Many of the major businesses within the North American book industry"; In other words, these are the same headings that&nbsp;Amazon and Barnes &amp; Noble use. In deciding to use these headings, I thought about how best to make it easy for my students to find materials, that would make sense to them.<br /><br />The following list contains the section headings I plan on using.<br /><br />ART<br />COOKING<br />CRAFTS<br />GARDENING/FARMING<br />GRAPHIC NOVELS<br />HEALTH AND HUMAN BODY<br />HISTORY<div>HOLIDAYS AND CUSTOMS<br />HUMOR<br />LANGUAGE<br />MATH<br />MUSIC<br />NATURE: ANIMALS<br />NATURE: EARTH<br />PLACES<br />SCARY<br />SPACE<br />SPORTS<br />STORIES (FOLK TALES/MYTHOLOGY/FAIRY&nbsp;TALES)<br />TRANSPORTATION<br /><br /><i>Other possible headings are: </i><br /><br />BUSINESS<br />CULTURE<br />MACHINES<br />SCIENCE<br />TECHNOLOGY<div><br /></div><div>I'm being realistic in that, I'm thinking I may find that I need to modify my headings as I get into this&nbsp;endeavor, if that happens, I will update my list here also. I will also keep you informed of any other things that arise as I move ahead with this project. &nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div></div></div>Bruce G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05461937786699065665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932680447064136730.post-59302829987583058492012-06-02T21:26:00.000-04:002012-06-04T21:00:19.259-04:00Ditching Dewey&nbsp;My fifth graders use the card catalog every week, they always find the book they want on the catalog and then ask me where they can actually find the book. They know how the Dewey Decimal System works, they know it is in numerical order, but every week, they have to ask where to find things. I have taught them how to use Dewey, labeled the high interest shelves and used increased signage to help, but to no avail.<br /><br />So, I am going to shake things up; change the look and feel of my library, by organizing the shelves using a categorizing system based on the&nbsp;BISAC&nbsp;Subject Headings. Yes, I'm going to DITCH DEWEY. I got the idea reading about METIS, which I found at <a href="http://eye-fours.blogspot.com/2012/04/metis-main-categories.html" target="_blank">Brief Book Bytes</a>.<br /><br />It's not that &nbsp;I don't like structure,&nbsp;as a teacher/librarian,&nbsp;I like being able to shelve things in an easy manner, it is just that I think that Dewey is outdated and the children don't really need it or use it. I honestly don't think most of the adults in my school use it either. They come in and ask where things can be found, the same as the children.<br /><br />I have spent a lot of time reading both sides of the argument for 'Ditching Dewey' and everyone keeps using the phrase, "Librarians search and students browse", but I don't think that is completely true. I think students don't search, because they don't understand the system; even when taught, the whole decimal thing throws them off. I usually start teaching Dewey by talking and teaching about decimals. Students can understand the concept in 3rd and 4th grade, they can organize a pile of books without a problem, but using the system to find books confuses them once they go to the shelves. I believe, if the shelves were organized so that they could relate to them, it would make searching easier.<br /><br />Thus, No more Dewey.<br /><br />In my research about getting rid of Dewey, I also read, <a href="http://www.viviennehoughton.com/uploads/5/2/5/6/5256567/organizationsystem_anythink_libraries.pdf" target="_blank">"Anythink’s&nbsp;WordThink:&nbsp;A Revolutionary Organizational System"</a> and understand why they have more books circulating and more patrons using the library; it is easier for the patrons to use a&nbsp;BISAC approach&nbsp;and less&nbsp;intimidating, whether searching or browsing.<br /><br />Anythink calls their system WordThink, the group in New York calls theirs METIS after&nbsp;"the Greek goddess of wisdom and deep thought". I have no idea what I am going to call my system (which is going to be a kind of mix of both of these systems), I'm more worried about making it work and figuring out how to do it.<br /><br />So, over the next couple weeks and months, I will be sharing with you my journey from Dewey to my new system. I haven't even really started yet, and already I am thinking about the process in my sleep. I don't know if that is a good sign or a bad one, but only time will tell.<br /><br />As the Garth Brooks song says:<br /><div style="text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><div style="color: #76a5af; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">sometimes you just can't be afraid&nbsp;</span></div><div style="color: #76a5af; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">To wear a different hat&nbsp;</span></div><div style="color: #76a5af; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If Columbus had complied&nbsp;</span></div><div style="color: #76a5af; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This old world might still be flat&nbsp;</span></div><div style="color: #76a5af; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nothin' ventured, nothin' gained&nbsp;</span></div><div style="color: #76a5af; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">sometimes you've got to go against the grain.</span></div><div style="color: #76a5af; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I guess we'll see if I sink or swim...</span></div><br /><br />Bruce G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05461937786699065665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932680447064136730.post-78910658676295787472011-12-06T07:00:00.001-05:002011-12-06T07:00:01.082-05:00A Quick Book Thought about Wonderstruck<div class="MsoNormal">This past week,&nbsp;I read Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick and I have to say, I was blown away. The story like <i>The Invention of Hugo Cabret</i> is told in Pencil drawn pictures and words. Where Hugo Cabret needed both the words and the pictures to carry on the story, this book tells the story of a young man named Ben all in words and uses the pictures to tell the story of a young Girl named Rose. Ben’s story&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CAs60gtmmrQ/TtJmm20YdGI/AAAAAAAAE5g/B-60MlkPw60/s1600/flatlightning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CAs60gtmmrQ/TtJmm20YdGI/AAAAAAAAE5g/B-60MlkPw60/s320/flatlightning.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">takes place in the present where he is trying to cope with life since his mother has passed away. One night he finds some information about his father he never met and the same evening is struck by lightning and loses his hearing. Rose’s story is set in the past where she is a lonely deaf child who knows her mother, but is ignored. As we read along their stories only seem to have protagonists being deaf in common. But as the pictures and words converge toward the end of the book we find that this is not the only commonality that the stories hold. </div><div class="MsoNormal">I enjoyed this book more than Hugo Cabret, which I liked and thought the story was good, but I never really empathized with the characters. I found Wonderstruck more compelling and the characters more to my liking. Both Rose and Ben are likable, characters who I could understand and relate too. The peripheral characters in this book help the story along very well; however there is one character that reminded me of Hugo Cabret in that he has a secret room where he should not. I don’t know if Brian Selznick wrote this character and sequence into the book as an inside joke for people who enjoyed Hugo or not, but it reminded me of a passage or two from the Caldecott Winner. &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal">I would highly recommend this book, and actually think that if Hugo Cabret won the Caldecott, this in my opinion should win it also. Because where the pictures in his other novel helped the story along, in this one they tell more than half the story. I also wouldn’t be surprised if it is considered for a Newberry, the story is that good.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Click here for more information about <a href="http://www.wonderstruckthebook.com/#" target="_blank">Wonderstruck</a>. &nbsp;</div>Bruce G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05461937786699065665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932680447064136730.post-50742994830407831332011-12-04T21:13:00.000-05:002011-12-04T21:13:06.818-05:00The Cost of Twelve Days Of Christmas<div class="MsoNormal">Welcome to the Thoughts of an Anti-Librarian, I'd like to share one of my Favorite lessons this time of year, I do with my Fifth Grade Students. What they have to do is find the cost of the Twelve Days of Christmas. &nbsp;This <a href="http://content.pncmc.com/live/pnc/microsite/CPI/2011/index.html#price/gift" target="_blank">Christmas Price Index</a> is calculated each year by PNC Bank (in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania). According to their website, “It began 28 years ago when the chief economist at PNC Bank decided to figure out how much it would cost to buy each of the gifts..” </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">When my students do the project, they have to find, </div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->A.<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><!--[endif]-->The cost of each of the presents (and a Partridge in the Pear tree is separate).</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->B.<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><!--[endif]-->The cost of all the presents together.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->C.<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><!--[endif]-->The cost of the entire song (each present given each day).</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It is really kind of funny when they first start working on the project. Some of the kids will start looking for shopping sites, EBay and Amazon are the big ones they choose. I have to remind them at this point that they need to find the actual present not an ornament or a porcelain figurine (you would be surprised how much porcelain is used on the twelve days of Christmas). &nbsp;One year, I actually had one group that found an exotic bird store and was upset when they couldn’t get a price for&nbsp; French hens, they actually wanted to call the store and ask if they could get a price. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Once in a while, I get a group that starts Googling the words, “Cost of Twelve Days of Christmas.” This will take them to new sites that talk about the PNC website, but most of the time, they don’t realize that this is the website they need. Sometimes they find the Christmas Price Index from a previous year; they are so disappointed when I point out it is the wrong year. What is funny is that they don’t repeat their search with the same words just adding the current year. &nbsp;When I point this out to them later, they get usually can’t believe it. (I never help during the lesson, I always review after the lesson what worked and what didn’t with the classes).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I think I enjoy this project so much, because the kids can’t believe that each of these items are real and they actually cost so much. &nbsp;I have done this lesson with 6<sup>th</sup> grade also, but I would be careful about doing it in too high of grades, because the cost of Nine Ladies Dancing is &nbsp;about $6300. The comments that could be made about paying a dancer, especially that much, could get inappropriate the older the students get. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">This is a great lesson for practice in using Search Engines and using the internet to gather and organize information and to solve problems. The kids not only enjoy it because they get to use the internet, but also because it has to do with presents and Christmas. I enjoy it, because once I show them the PNC Website and they enjoy reading through the information and looking at the graphics that they have. I also like the fact that they don’t consider this a Math lesson, although we cover a few Math concepts as we discuss the answers, to my three questions.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">For more information on the PNC Christmas Index checkout this article on <a href="http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2011/pnc-christmas-price-index-express/" target="_blank">The Inspiration Room</a>.</div>Bruce G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05461937786699065665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932680447064136730.post-52382905122965933562011-12-01T07:00:00.004-05:002011-12-01T07:00:08.122-05:00Thoughts on Respect for Teachers<div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"></div><div class="ecxmsonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 9.25pt;">Over Thanksgiving, my parents commented to me, "When we were kids we wouldn’t talk to teachers the way kids do now." They were appalled at how kids act in school and how the parents respond when they are told their kids have done something wrong. Respect for teachers is low in many places. Anyone who is a teacher knows the environment that surrounds our lives today. The worst part is<span class="apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><i>we</i><span class="apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>are responsible for a lot of these problems.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="ecxmsonormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">Let me explain: I teach in two different schools this year and I have found it to be a very interesting. The culture of the two buildings is very different. One has a Principal that is not very well liked the other has a Principal that is liked and respected. But in both buildings, the way Teachers treat each other is appalling. The disrespect they show for co-workers is ridiculous. This may happen in the business world, I don’t know, but the way people complain about how others’ do their jobs or what they do during the day makes me cringe.&nbsp; They complain that this person doesn’t have as many duties or that person doesn’t have a class during as many periods and they even undermine or sabotage each other.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="ecxmsonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 9.25pt;">With as difficult as our jobs are and the climate in the world in which we are teaching, I don’t get this mentality.&nbsp;&nbsp;How Disrespectful is it (not to say unprofessional) to question what a fellow teacher is doing with their time?&nbsp; These complainers will never go and ask the person they are complaining about, to task them about their reasons for doing things, or maybe why it seems they have extra preps or why the schedule looks unfair. No, they would rather talk about the other person behind their back, during lunch periods. This is why I have not eaten lunch in a faculty room for six years. I can’t stand the bitching.&nbsp;My question to these teachers that complain is, "Why does it matter what they are doing?" How does this affect you in your teaching?&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><div class="ecxmsonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 9.25pt;">There was a student teacher in our building, earlier this year, my one piece of advice to him was, “If you want to be happy in your job, you can’t worry about what other people are teaching or doing during their day.” I told him, “When you start worrying about how much extra time someone else has or how many duties they have, you start forgetting what is important; the students and your teaching.”&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><div class="ecxmsonormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">&nbsp;To be true Professionals, we need to respect the person next door to us as Professionals. And that is part of the problem; we don't respect the person teaching next to us or across from us. And I know I am only the Anti-Librarian, but if we don't respect each other, why should the community we are teaching in?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Bruce G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05461937786699065665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932680447064136730.post-80559454171372442742011-11-29T07:00:00.002-05:002011-11-29T07:00:10.842-05:00A Quick Book Thought about The Autobiography of Santa Claus<div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v7QIHt9gLA0/TtKt5QX2-pI/AAAAAAAAE5o/u3PgeVPyKe0/s1600/3883550-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v7QIHt9gLA0/TtKt5QX2-pI/AAAAAAAAE5o/u3PgeVPyKe0/s1600/3883550-L.jpg" /></a>For those of you that have children that are starting to question if Santa Claus is real and you want them to believe for a few more years, let me share a book with you. The Book is called<i> The Autobiography of Santa Claus: It’s Better to Give </i>and is edited by Jeff Guinn.&nbsp; I found this book a few years back and shared it with my son when he was eight years old. It is the perfect bedtime read aloud, for&nbsp;before Christmas, because it has twenty five chapters. If you start reading it on December first or right after Thanksgiving, and read a chapter a night, it ends nicely on or about Christmas Eve.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The book starts out with an editor’s preface that explains how Jeff Guinn was invited to the North Pole to help Santa Claus write his memoirs. Jeff describes the Workshop and the people he meets and sees there. The story starts, from Santa’s recollection of his early years and how and why he started giving presents and why he did it anonymously. It tells about him being a Priest, then a Bishop and about his gift giving exploits.&nbsp; About Chapter five we meet Santa’s friend and oldest companion Felix. It is about this time that Santa starts to explain his magic. </div><div class="MsoNormal">The story not only explains his magic and how he uses it but also tells all about the many special people who helped him through the years and still do; people such as Attila the Hun, St. Francis of Assisi, Marco Polo, Benjamin Franklin, Teddy Roosevelt, Amelia Earhart, King Arthur and Layla (better known as Mrs. Claus). Santa explains throughout the book, by relating different stories, how the toys are distributed to all the kids in the world and how he is known by different names. He also tells how many different writers and poets have changed the way he has been received over the years and how these writings have changed the world’s perception of him. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">As I said, I shared this story with my son when he was 8. For three or four years after that, when kids in his class would say they didn’t believe in Santa, John would tell them he did. The reason he did was because he had heard Santa Claus’ own version of how and why the Magic of Christmas is real. I personally liked the story because it gives a lot of historical background that is accurate. All of this makes <i>The Autobiography of Santa Claus</i> one of my favorite books, not just around Christmas, but always.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Bruce G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05461937786699065665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932680447064136730.post-89274930992056337922011-11-27T15:41:00.000-05:002011-11-27T15:41:14.672-05:00Thoughts On Teaching and Disney Imagineers<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">&nbsp;I</span></b>f you have read my other <a href="http://www.unknownmagicwithinwaltdisneyworld.com/" target="_blank">website</a>, you know that I admire Walt Disney very much. He was amazingly creative and I think his mind was one of the best of all time. When he was alive, Walt had a special group of workers called WED (which was taken from Walt’s initials) that built the amazing things he dreamed up. After his death, WED grew into W.D.I. and now it is Disney Imagineering. These Imagineers as they are called upon to create everything you see on the Disney properties, worldwide. Everything from the design of the Resorts to the queues for the attractions; these people are amazing. I wrote an article once saying that I wished I could be an Imagineer. But the more that I think about it, I don’t wish for that anymore. I wish I could hang out with them and watch them work, because as a Teacher/Librarian I feel I am kind of am, an Imagineer.<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I say this, because I have seen the Imagineers’ 10 Commandments. I have listed these commandments below with my reasons for believing that I am like an Imagineer. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"></div><ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Know your audience</span> – I do this by designing my lessons to make the most sense for the students I am working with.</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Wear your guest's shoes </span>– I think about how I would receive the lesson I am teaching. Does it bore me or is it too slow? If so, it will be for the students (my guests) also.</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Organize the flow of people and ideas</span> – I try to use good story telling techniques, tell good stories not lecture too much. I also try to use clear logic in my lessons and the way my room is organized.</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Create a weenie</span>– In Disney’s terminology, this the focal point of a park or an attraction. In teaching it is my hook that gets the kids interesting in your lesson.</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Communicate with visual literacy</span> – I always try to use non-verbal ways of communication, using color, shape, and actions to keep the class interested.</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Avoid overload </span>- Resisting the temptation to teach too much, to have too many objects is sometimes difficult, since I only have a certain amount of time to cover so many topics. &nbsp;But, the Imagineers believe, you can’t force people to swallow more than they can digest, that you need to try to stimulate and provide guidance to those who want more. As a teacher, I need to be aware of this also.</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Tell one story at a time</span> – Teaching one topic or skill at a time is ideal. &nbsp;The Imagineers say: &nbsp;“If you have a lot of information divide it into distinct, logical, organized stories, people can absorb and retain information more clearly if the path to the next concept is clear and logical.”</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Avoid contradiction</span> – I try to do this every day or else the students won’t believe me and won’t listen for very long.</li><li>&nbsp;<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">For every ounce of treatment, provide a ton of fun</span> – I try to make learning fun every day. If they don’t enjoy coming to my class, they aren’t going to learn a whole lot from me.</li><li><b><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Keep it up</span> – Once you get to the high level of teaching where you are researching your topics before you start teaching them; you are designing lessons at different levels, adapting them and changing them as needed for the best experience for the students and then presenting these lessons in fun and interesting ways, which helps the students to learn the concepts you are teaching, you need to keep doing it. I continually change the experience of the library as the classes and students change from year to year, thus giving them new, interesting and exciting things to look forward to.</li></ol><div class="MsoNormal">Most teachers who are still vibrant, good, exciting teachers do these things. These are the teachers that students remember when they grow up (for the right reasons). These are the teachers that students talk about at the dinner table with their parents. These are the teachers that other teachers talk about in meetings and workshops. These are teachers we should all strive to be. These are the Imagineers in our schools.</div></div>Bruce G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05461937786699065665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932680447064136730.post-77962311697248311722011-11-26T20:54:00.000-05:002011-11-26T20:54:36.972-05:00Thoughts on Displays and Student Involvement<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">Decorating for Christmas always makes me think of a bulletin board that I created during my Junior student teaching. It was around the holidays and I used characters from different books and television shows of the time. I put them in a winter scene and included the heading <i>Happy Holidays</i> from all your favorites. I used the Peanuts characters, the Berenstain Bears, Alf (the<span class="apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><b>A</b>lien<span class="apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><b>L</b>ife<span class="apple-converted-space"><b>&nbsp;</b></span><b>F</b>orm) and the Chipmunks. I remember the reaction of the students when they first came in the next morning and saw what I had done. That was when I learned that you could use bulletin boards to catch students’ attentions and get them thinking about a topic.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">I have made bulletin boards as all teachers do, to stress topics in all subjects. But sometimes I have gone a little overboard with my bulletin board displays. I once made a front porch out of cardboard that stuck out of the wall. The front porch went along with my theme on Grandparents and took up a quarter of the hallway in front of my room. The students learned all about older people and we even "adopted” Grandparents from the Retirement home down the street. When we did some writing on the topic later in the unit, their work was displayed on the <i>"Porch"</i>.<o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">&nbsp;Later the same year, in the same area of the hallway, I built <i>"Poet-trees"</i> from paper, cardboard and tree branches. The students then wrote poems that were to be hung from the trees in the hallway. It was the first time I ever had students competing to write the “Best”; so that they could have them hung in the hallway. &nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">&nbsp;Another time, I used pictures of the kids’ faces and put them on bodies that they have traced and cut out that were decorated as Colonial Americans. Before they "dressed" their colonists, they had to know what kind of clothing they would wear and why. The next year when I was doing this unit with the class, we built our own Miniature Colonial Village (made from oven and refrigerator boxes) and the students all researched the building that they were putting in our village. Making these buildings turned out to be a really great activity, because before they would declare their buildings complete, they made each detail perfect. The students later understood more about colonial life than their counterparts in another 5th grade class.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">I find it funny that many teachers don’t enjoy doing Bulletin Boards or Displays. I find them an outlet for some of my creativity and I still enjoy setting up Displays and Bulletin boards for my students that catch their eye and get their attention. If I can make them think or act by viewing these displays, that’s even better.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Bruce G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05461937786699065665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932680447064136730.post-56992059040069189592011-11-25T20:07:00.000-05:002011-11-25T20:07:36.251-05:00A Thought on a Being Thankful<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When I was in college, I got yelled at in my first education class for&nbsp;or answering a question incorrectly.&nbsp;&nbsp;Actually, I got yelled at for&nbsp;being wise. The question asked was, why do you want to be a teacher? My answer was, "For weekends and summers off." I was just being funny, but the teacher didn't find it humorous at all. She ranted on and on about if that was my attitude, I would never be a good teacher. Looking back on it, I see that she wasn't that great of a teacher herself. I say this for a few reasons, one she had no sense of humor (if you can't laugh, how can your students enjoy school?) and two being a screamer is just not the way to connect with students.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The reason I bring up this story is because I am very Thankful that I am a teacher and not just because I have my weekends and summers off (although sometimes those thoughts help). I am Thankful that I am a teacher, because I get to see children &nbsp; learn and become creative thinkers. I am thankful, because, I get to work with other teachers who are good at what they do and enjoy their jobs. I am Thankful, because in today's world where many people are out of jobs or are working in jobs where they are not happy; I get to do what I enjoy doing every day. I like telling stories, reading books and teaching about literature. I enjoy sharing and teaching and I enjoy learning form my students. I am Thankful that I am a Teacher. I hope all the teachers out there are Thankful also.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Bruce G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05461937786699065665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932680447064136730.post-7305493695330172142011-11-22T14:36:00.001-05:002011-11-22T14:38:24.281-05:00A Quick Book Thought about Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX14987384" style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span class="TextRun SCX14987384" style="font-family: Calibri, Sans-Serif; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCX14987384" style="font-family: Calibri, Sans-Serif; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="TextRun SCX14987384" style="font-family: Calibri, Sans-Serif; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none;" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="textrun"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;, &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"></span></span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cOpF5was3vU/Tsv4qgMIgUI/AAAAAAAAE4I/PdXrbh5CX2o/s1600/NicholasStNorth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cOpF5was3vU/Tsv4qgMIgUI/AAAAAAAAE4I/PdXrbh5CX2o/s1600/NicholasStNorth.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">I just finished <em>Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King.</em> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">I enjoyed the book. The beginning reminded me of The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum; with the moonbeams and nature creatures being characters. I was worried it was going to be too "Fantasy" for me (I don't care for epic fantasy type books). But it was more on the lines of a fable/fantasy/ prequel.&nbsp; Kind of like&nbsp;<em><a href="http://www.peterandthestarcatchers.com/" target="_blank">Dave Barry &amp;&nbsp;Ridley Pearson's Peter and the Starcatchers</a></em>, which is a prequel for Peter&nbsp;Pan, this is a&nbsp;very different&nbsp;interpretation of origins of St. Nicholas. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">The Book is actually a quick read that tells of Nicholas St. North a great thief, who helps protect a&nbsp;village against the evil <strong><em>Pitch</em> </strong>aka, the <em>Nightmare King</em> and ends with Nicholas' adventures being continued.&nbsp; This&nbsp;is the first in a book series by&nbsp;William Joyce&nbsp;called the Guardians of Childhood. The next book is called E. Aster Bunnymund and the Battle of the Warrior Eggs. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>I look forward to reading more in the series. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>If you would like more information on the series, you can go to the <a href="http://theguardiansofchildhoodbooks.com/index.php" target="_blank">Guardians of Childhood website</a>. And you can buy Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_14?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&amp;field-keywords=nicholas+st+north+and+the+battle+of+the+nightmare+king&amp;sprefix=nicholas+st+no" target="_blank">Amazon</a> or where fine books are sold.</div><div class="paragraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div>Bruce G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05461937786699065665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8932680447064136730.post-48700369296993776512011-11-21T18:50:00.001-05:002011-11-21T19:51:01.735-05:00An Introduction to the Anti-Librarian<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Hello and Welcome to the Thoughts of an Anti-Librarian. Allow me to introduce myself and explain why I am doing this. I am a 20 year veteran of teaching and have been an elementary school Librarian/Teacher for about 13 years. I consider myself an Anti-Librarian, because I am not your typical book lender. First of all, I am in the minority as an Elementary School Librarian, I am male. Secondly, I can't stand quiet. I need movement, sound and color. My classroom (yes, I consider my Library a classroom) is always active, with people sharing and discussing&nbsp;ideas. The room is a vibrant colorful place that changes as the school year goes on.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">At the beginning of this school year I was transferred from a 5-6 school to a K-5 school. (I hadn't been in a school with younger grades in 9 years. I was looking forward to it and hoping it would revitalize my career. I had started to get stagnant in my job.) This move has been an amazing thing for me. I am getting back in touch with the children's literature that I missed teaching with and I am becoming a better teacher, using creative, new ideas in my teaching. &nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So, why am I writing this? I enjoying Blogging, I have a Disney World Blog called,&nbsp;<i>"<a href="http://www.umwdw.com/">Unknown Magic Within Walt Disney World</a>"&nbsp;</i>that I have been writing for about a year and a half.<i>&nbsp;</i>I decided to write<span class="apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><b><i>this blog</i></b><span class="apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span>as a way for me to share ideas about books, libraries and teaching. As I say in the<span class="apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><i>Who am I to Say?<span class="apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></i>Box on the side of the page, I may not be as well read as some other people, but I am creative and think "outside the box". I hope you enjoy my thoughts and will share yours with me also.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Bruce G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05461937786699065665noreply@blogger.com0